Question

We live in the era of high technologies, and we use modern inventions in our everyday life because they have brought us much comfort. New technologies have spread on every field over the past 15 years. Moreover, they are rapidly changing. For example, video-recorders, DVD-players or compact disks have already become obsolete and have been replaced by more up-to-date devices. Today we can hardly imagine our life without such modern mobile devices as cell phones or laptops. Our offices are fully equipped with computers, printers, scanners, air-conditioners, interactive whiteboards and wi-fi modems. Household appliances (vacuum-cleaners, coffee-machines, dish-washers, food processors and others) help us to save our time and energy.

However, we should realize that digital and electronic inventions have both negative and positive impact on our daily life.

I am absolutely positive that new technologies or gadgets are making things faster, easier, more comfortable and interesting. For instance, if you install a GPS (Global Positioning System) in your car you’ll never get lost again. And could we imagine just 15 years ago all the things we can do on the wireless Internet nowadays: connecting with friends from all over the world, online shopping and banking, distance online learning, finding virtual relationships and even working from home? Isn’t that awesome?! Our parents used to go to post-offices to send letters or pay bills, they went to libraries to find a good book and they used telephone-booths for phone-calls.

On the other hand, I know some people who are strongly against some modern inventions because they really miss those days when they talked to each other face to face in reality, and not virtually. I partially agree with that as I really believe that people are becoming anti-social and too dependent on their gadgets. Some of my friends also spend half of the time occupying their shiny gadgets (smart-phones or i-pads) even when we go out together. Besides, people who use various social networks a lot (such as Facebook or Instagram) should worry more about their privacy.

Summing up, I could say that there are serious arguments both for and against the use of new technologies but anyway it’s really difficult to imagine our life without them today.

2.Домашнее задание: составить три вопроса по тексту

Answer 1

1) what changes have occurred in 15 years?;

2) how have new technologies and gadgets affected your life?;

3) are all people in favor of new gadgets?;